Um, I've never talked to you and I've never done a voice recording.

I'm realizing that it's really intimate.

Anyways, I'm gonna start.

When I was a kid, I think I was 13, I was sexually abused.

My mom is currently in an abusive relationship and my sister struggles with depression.

And we didn't know this until probably a couple months ago when she attempted suicide.

And lately, just with family, they seem to be going through a lot of challenges and worrying about them and caring for them and thinking about them.

It's becoming a little overwhelming.

It leaves me feeling so drained.

And obviously I don't have any control over their lives, so that's always really hard.

But when I go climbing, I end up feeling better climbing has been the most consistent

thing currently that I have kept for myself and it's my time to focus on me and it makes me feel strong.

The people make me feel strong.

They're so supportive.

They make me laugh.

And the whole process, it feeds my soul.

I've made it a point to go, even if it's for a short while,

because I feel like it's so necessary at this moment.

I don't know, things can change later, but right now it feels really necessary and I feel so much fear and insecurity and doubt just like

so many other people that I allow climbing to be a time and a place to get over those insecurities

and to practice feeling strong and to practice

reaching goals and eventually hopefully these skills can bleed into my everyday life and start spreading outward.

...